Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-17
A CONyICTS STORY.

should therefore be taken with many
grains of allowance"
You will find the above paragraph at
the tail end of every charge made by a
discharged convict against the prison
management. 1t is as much to say that
there may be one grain of truth to
ninety-nine grains of malice and false
hood. And yet / ask you who should
know the inside of a prison better than a
prisoner. If there is cruelty, it is prac-
tised upon him. If there is fraud, he is
generally the sufferer. There is no more
Justice in accusing him of malice or false
hood in his statements than there is of
accusing,a farmer who has grievance
against q neighbor. The man who is
Justly sent to prison bears no malice
against the institution or its officers.
The prisoner who is treated as the law
directs-who finds honest officials about
him, who gets what the law says he shall
receive, who sees no favoritism practised,
leaves 'with the kindliest feelings toward
the entire corps of officers.
have been State prison convict. l
admit it without blush, because the
records prove that was innocent of the
crime was sentenced for, and because |
was humbly apologized to in public and
indemnifed in o financial way. If there
is an inducement for a convict whose
guilt was conclusive to falsify on coming
forth, there can certainly be none for me.
It was case of mistaken identity,
coupled with my ignorance of the law,
which sent me to prison in one of the
Middle States for the term of three years.
was told how much "good time" l
could gain by industry and respectful
department, and entered the place de-
termined to gain every hour possible. l
was country boy without vices. did
not swear, drink, smoke, or chew, nor
could any human being justly charge me
with any offence against the law. had
been brought up by religious parents,
and it may be infer. ed that knew what
belonged to good manners. 1t woula
therefore seem an easy undertaking for
me to obey all the prison rules, and stand
we'll in the estimation of the officials.
/ was delivered over to the warden by
the officer, the usual receipt taken, and
then I was registered and enrolled. Dur.
ing this proceeding / coughed violently
several times, having contracteda a severe
cold in the jail, where | had lain fo1
several days. This seemed to greatly
annoy the Warden, and presently he
called out at me:
"Ahl you horse thief, you are pre-
pairing to play the consumptive trick, are
you9 If you cough like that again I'll
have you logged"
had to cough again, l couldn't have
avoided it if he had stood with knife
pointed at my heart. The brute took q
step forward and gave me hearty SLAP
on the mouth, and said to the two men
in the office:
'Boys, you want to keep "a lookout or
this cussed rascal He's come here de
termined to run the prison, and an oc-
casional dressing down will be salve fol
his burns!"
/ had to cough again before they got
through with the register, and on this oc
casion both the turnkeys kicked me
When was lead away to the wicket an(
beyond, the Warden called after me:
'tpll see to your case, young man
You may think you know all about run
ming prison, but I'll soon convince yol
that you don't"
am satisfied that the Warden's &C
ton in this case was an exception, al
though | knew of this man misusin;
many other prisoners on their arrival
The law of that State does not say that
common prisoner shall be put into
dungeon on his arrival. It reserves tina
punishment for murderers. was ''onl
horse thief" looked upon with con
tempt by the majority of prisoners, bu
the Warden ordered me placed in dun
geon and kept there for two weeks. Thi
was a matter of astonishment to all til
prisoners who knew of the circumstanc
and to the inside officials. At the end G
the fortnight was brought out and sen
to the harness shop. When Twas regis
tered my occupation was given as that c
farmer. had wored at nothing else
and was poor hand with mechanics
tools. The harness shop was run by
State contractor; and two guards wel
always present with revolvers in han6
One Of them appeared to be kline
hearted man with full sense of justice
The other was browbeater and mas
ger. He had opportunities to boss an
tyrannizc, and he made the most of then
The foreman of the shop set me to wor
cutting out some pieces of harness b
pattern. NY eyes were still affected b
the terrible darkness of the dungeon, an6
having no confidence in myself, too
up the work slowly. / was at benc
between two of the guards, and PRESENT.
the nagger said to me;
..Did you come here to play gentleman
you thief?'
/ looked up, but made no reply. Viii
/ knew nothing of the rules of Stat
prison, Iintuitively realized that a pri
oner had no right to talk back.
IF was the foreman I'd report yor
cussed obstinacy and have you take
down and thrashed," J" continued the ma
after moment.
y "What's the use of nagging, JIM
remarked the other guard. "Give Il
boy chance to turn round, won
youa"
ssHe'll get turned around SOC
enoughp growled the other.
ibid my work to the satisfaction OF Il
foreman He was man who was ~
down on prisoner because of the fa'
that he was a prisoner. : He saw that
was young and green, and he was vii